Shock-absorber.



F. C. ADAMS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION 'H1150 APR. 5. 1915.

Patented sept. 14,1915

"valiicle and the casinfr A UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFFIcE. f

FRANK C. ADAMS, YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 HARRY R. ESTEL AND ONE-FOURTH TO SOLOMON VILSON, BOTH 0F YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

'Patented sept. 14, 1915.

To all fir/wm 'it may conc/1ro 15e it known that L FiiANK C. Amas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yellow Springs, in` the county of Greene and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-)tbsorhers, of which the following isa specification, lreference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

.'lhis invention relates to shock absorbers for vehicles and, while it is designed more particularly for use in connection witlraiitomohiles, it is useful with vehicles or similar devices of various kinds.

The object of thel invention is to provide a simple highly elicient shock absorber which will not interfere with the action 'of the-springs under ordinary conditions but which will become operative only under abnormal conditions, as when the vehicle is traveling over a, rough road.

To this end it is a further object of the invention to provide' such a device comprising relatively movable parts adapted to be connected respectively with the body and axle of a vehicle and having cooperating parts to permit a limited relative movement of the body and axle but to resist the rela` 'tive movement of these parts when it ceeds such limit. A n n 'lt is also an object of the invention to provide such a device which will be verv simple in its construction and of such a character that'little strain `vill be imposed upon it when in operation and which, consequently, will be little liable to injury in its normal use.

In the accom'ianying drawings, Figure l sectional viewtaken longitudinallyI of a shock absorber embodying iny invention; Fig. 2 is a trans\ 'erse sectional view taken on the line .1; of Fig. l; and ,Fig il is a transverse, sectional view talc-n on the line ln these'drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the sane as coini'irising a frame n'ieinber-or'casinc l having a longitudinal guideu way in whi is mounted a longitudiiuilly movable memner or slide 2, theslide being ai aptedfor connection with the body of the I being `adapted for c, .nnection with' the axle. i- While I have shown the invention embodied in a device con'iprising parts having longitudinal sliding` movement it willvbe understood that while certain features of the invention are vpeculiarto suchv device -otherfeatiires may be embodied in a device in which the members have diii'erent relative movement or in which the members are connected with the body and the axle of the vehicle in different manners. i

It willv be noted .that the casing or frame member-l is made up of side plates 3 which are connected one tothe other by edge pieces l which maybe connected with the side pieces by means of screws or in any suitable lrefeably, these edge pieces are tapered from their central portions toward their ends so as to give an increased thickness and greater strength at the central portion. The side plates and edge pieces 3 and 4 are so arranged in the present instance as to form between them a rectangular opening which constitutes a guideway and in which is mounted movable member or slide 2, this member being of such a shape as to fit snugly within the guideway. Either the casing or t-he slide, and preferably the latter, is provided with op'positely inclined portions constituting cam surfaces. Inthe present embodiment of the invention the slide 2 has its opposite edge portions cut away in such a manner to provide each edge thereof with two inclined portions 2a which converge away'from the adjacent edge member 4, so as to forma very obtuse V in each edge ofthe slide.A rl`he other of` said meml'iers, in the present instance the frame member or casing, is providedwith a yieldable device arranged to `engage one of the inclined portions of the slide when the latter'is moved in either direction and to exert pressure on the edge of the slide which will resist its movement. As here shown the, thickened central portion of each of the edge pieces ll of the frame member is provided with a recess in which is mounted a spring (i, the outer end of which engages a shoe 7 l'iearing upon the adjacent edge, of the slide 2. The springs are so. ailranged that the.' shoes will lexert the least pressure upon tlie'edges of the slide when the latter is in its intermediate or neu tral position and as the slide moves away from this neutral position, in either direction, the increasing width thereof, caused 55 centsurfaces of the slide by the inclination ot' its edges, will force the shoes outwardly against the tensionof their springs and will thus cause the shoes to exert a pressure thereon which will resist 5`ithe further movement of the slide in the direction in which it has started, thereby gradually bringing the slide to a stop.

In order that the springs ofthe vehicle may be free to act without interference I preferably provide each edge of the slide with a neutral space 7 between itsl inclined portions which will be so arranged with relation to the yieldable members or shoes 7 that the latter will exert little or no pressure thereon, and, consequently, will otter little or no resistance to the movement ot' the slide when these neutral portions are adjacent to the yi'eldable devices. This feature is of very material importance be 'ause 2b the springs of the ordinary automobile are adjusted to talie care of their load under ordinary road conditions and if a shock absorber is ot' such a character that it 'resists the relative movement of the body'and the axle lmder ordinary t-fonditions it will then have the etiect ot' stitl'cning the spring action and greatly reducingtlwir elliciency. Such an absorber may cushion the movement of the body in such a manner as to malte the vehicle. very easy riding over a bad road, but, by reducing the etliciency of the springs. it makes the vehicle hard riding over a fairly good road. ly providing my absorber with a neutral portion long enough to permit of all normal movements of the body Al overcome this dilliculty entirely and utilize the full elliciem-yotI the springs under ordinary conditions and absorb only the abnormal Shocks.

lf desired means may be provided for adjustingithe tension of the spring t5 and thereby regulating the resistance oll'ered to the movement of the slide L. 'l`his l accomplish in the present instance by mounting a screw tu' in the outer portion of each of the edge pieces l and causing its inner end to project into.the corresptaiding recess 5 and to engage a disk J which bears upon the outer end of the spi-ine'. Iy adjusting the screw' the 50.tension of the spring can be regulated.

ln addition tothe resistance ollered tothe movement of the slide by the yieldable members T l can secure a vfurther resistance by drawing the side plates 2' against the adjaand thus causing,r a frictional contact which will resist. any movement ofthe slide. 'lhis'frictional contact, however. may l adjusted so that it will not. interfere. with the spring action to a greater extentthan is desired. .\s here shown. a bolt l0 is extended through the two side plates Iiand through an elongated slot ll in the slide, 2 and serves` to drawl the. side plates 3 against the slide but to 5 permitit'ls latter to move relatively thereto.

j Letters Patent. is

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that I have provided a shock absorber which is of a verysimple character and of such a strong, durable construction that there is little liability of its being broken or injured in ordinary use; and further, which is-of such a character that it can be easily adjusted tocause it to. otfer more or`less resistance to the relativeA movement of the body and axle. It will also be apparent that I have so constructed the device as to prevent any interference with the normal operation of .the springs under ordinary conditions.`

While l have shown and described one embodiment o't' my invention it will be understood that this has been chosen for the purposes ot' illust ration and that I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurl to a person'skilled in the art. i

llaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securewby 90.

l. ln a shocl\ absorber, au elongated casing having a guideway extending lengthwise thereof. and having in one end means yfor attaching it' to a part of a vehicle. ar bary slid- 95 ably mounted in said guideway, having a cam surface. and having at one end means for attaching it to another part of said vehicle. the attaching means for said casing and said bar beingr at opposite ends of said casing. and a vieldable p art carried by said, casiner to engage the cam surface of Sa'idf` slidaule bar. y

2. ln a shock absorber. an elongated casing havinga guideway extending lengthwise thereof. and having at one end means for attaching it to a part of a vehicle. a bar slidably mounted in said guideway. having cam surfaces on both edges thereof. alld having l at one end means for attaching-it to another part of said vehicle. the attaching means for said casing and for said bar beingat opposite endsol' said casing. said casing having recesses adjacent to the edges of said bal',

springs mounted in the res|active recesses 117 and parts interposed between said springs and the respective, cam surfaces ot said bar, and adapted to vieldably engage said cani surfaces. r "v 53. ln a shock absorber, an `elongated casnghaving a guideway extending lengthwise thereof. and having at one end ineans-` t'or' attachingit to a part of` a vehicle, a bar slidably mounted insaid guideway;having a cam surface. and having at one end means for attaching it to another part of saidivehicle. the attaching means for Asaid easing and said bar being at oppositeends of said casing. a Ivieldable part carried `b vsaid casing to engage the cam surface ofl said slid- 1 3@ `able bar, and means to clamp the side Walls ot' said casing against said bar to frictionally resist its movement.

4. In a shock absorber, an elongated casing, having means to attach it to a part of a vehicle and comprising side plates and edge pieces secured to said side plates, said parts being arranged to form a guideway, a bar slidably mounted in said guideway and having those edges adjacent to said edge pieces cut away to provide oppositely inclined portions, said edge pieces each having a recess, a shoe mounted on each edge of said slide bar and arranged to engage one of said inclined surfaces when said bar moves lrelatively to said casing, a spring mounteldji in each of said recesses and engaging the adjacent shoe to cause the latter to exert pressure on the inclined portion of saidlslide bar, which pressure will increase as the slide bar moves away from its normal position.

5. In a shock absorber, an elongated casing having means to attach it to' a part of a vehicle and comprising side plates and edge pieces secured to said side plates, said parts being arranged to form a guideway,a

bar slidably mounted in said guideway and having those edges adjacent to said edge pieces cut away to provide oppositely inclined portions, said edge pieces each having a recess, a shoe mounted on each edge ot' said slide har and arranged to engage one of said inclined surfaces when said bar moves relatively to said casing, a spring mounted'in each ot' said recesses and engaging the adjacent shoe to cause the latter to exert pressure on the inclined portion of said slide bar, which pressure will increase as the slide bar moves away from its normal position, a disk mounted in each of said recesses and "bearing u )on the end ot'- said )ring and screws mounted in said edge pieces and extending into the respective recesses to en- "gage said disk and regulate the tension of said springs.

(. In a shock absorber, an elongated casing having at one end means to attach it to a part ot' a vehicle, and comprising side plates and edge pieces secured to said side plates, said parts being arranged to form a guideway, a bar slidably mounted in said guideway and having those edges adjacent t'o said edge pieces cut away to provide oppositely inclined portions spaced apart to provide a neutral portion between them, each of'said edge pieces having a recess, a shoe mounted on each edge of said slidebar, resting normally on the neutral portion thereotl and arranged to engage one of the inclined portions-'if said bar vwhen the latter moves' relatively to said casing, a spring mounted in each of said recesses and engaging the adjacent shoe to cause the latter to exert pressure ron the inclined portion of said slide bar, which pressure will inc' ase as said bar moves away from its normal position.

7. In a shock absorber, a casing comprising side plates and edge pieces rigidly sen cured to said side plates, said parts being arranged to form a guideway, a bar slidabl1 mounted in said guideway and having those edges adjacent to said edge pieces cut away to provide oppositely inclined portions, said edge pieces each having a. recess, a shoe mounted on each ot' the edges of said slide har, a spring mounted in each of said recesses and engaging the adjacent shoe to cause the latter to exert pressure on the inclined portion of said slide bar, which pressure will increase as said bar moves away from its normal position, said slide bar having a longitudinal slot, and a bolt extending through said side plates and said slot to draw the side plates into yfrictional engagement with said slide bar. f

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

FRANK C. ADAMS.

Witnesses l C. F. lCs'rLE, 4 l Fmmace KENNETT lVnlITE. 

